Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [February 2014]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
February 10, 2014
Dear Friends,
Yesterday we had the privilege of baptizing a young lady, Isabela, who recently surrendered her life to the Lord. One of the most joyous aspects of her conversion is the fact that her friend, Bibi, is the one who led her to Christ and explained to her the importance and meaning of baptism. Bibi has just recently turned 14 years old and she’s already actively engaged in winning souls and discipling them. Bibi has such a passion for the Lord and wants to see all her friends and family come to Christ. I thank God for her and, now, I look forward to seeing her friend, Isabela, begin to win folks to the Lord also. She already invited her parents to church and they are coming regularly. The changes in her attitudes and lifestyle have shown them that what she has received is real.
Charlene and I are still trying to adapt to our new life without the kids. We raised them to leave home and begin life on their own, so we aren’t second guessing ourselves or wishing we had done differently. We are just hurting…for a reason.
Our missions school started off well this year. We trained and sent out two teams of 14 volunteers into the interior of our state. The two groups had tremendous results in the towns where they presented the gospel and ministered. The Lord blessed and there were several conversions to Christ. We are also gearing up for two more trips this month. The volunteers on the teams are excited about using their testimony and talents to share the gospel with many who have never heard a true gospel presentation. The new school year began today, so this will increase our doors of opportunity to reach larger numbers of listeners. In Brazil there is still more liberty of access to the public sector with the Word of God, but there is a wave of opposition that is increasing year by year. We want to take advantage of the opportunity while it is still there. Pray that the Lord will enable us to do so effectively.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support so that we may continue to reach out to Brazil and to the world.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: Mike & Beverly Creiglow in Brazil [February 2014]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
February 9, 2014
Dear Brethren,
Here is just a quick note to keep you praying. There really isn’t much striking news this month. There has been plenty of work, but of the routine kind that isn’t much “to write home about”.
This has been the rainiest January of my 51 Januaries in Brazil. Of the first five Sundays we had major rain on four of them. Attendance has taken a big hit. Last Sunday morning the rain started at 4:00AM and didn’t end until Monday. We had only 126 in the morning. One Sunday night we had only 327. In January we usually have several days of sunshine. We have some big rubber trees here on the property. When the sun comes out in January the pods pop loudly, like a gunshot, and shoot their seeds far and wide. That didn’t happen this year. Our yard turned into a swamp and the grass is struggling to survive! The crowds are down at church, but the river is up, so tomorrow early I will head up river.
We have had several more professions of faith, requests for baptism and church letters.
This past month has been wall to wall meetings with ministry leaders. We are trying to get organized for the year. This is boring to report, but it is what I have been doing.
This week I just barely managed to squeeze in the recording of one TV program. Here is something for you to pray about. Our cameras are ancient. They no longer record directly to tape. We can only use them in the studio recording to hard drive. We can not use them in the field at all. One of them was purchased in 1998! One that was bought in 2000 quit completely. Dad donated his prosumer 3 years ago to replace it. This year we will have to replace both cameras and that needs to be sooner, not later. Pray that we will be able to come up with the money. We have been on the local station for 24 years now. Many people who would never set foot inside our church or even let us into their homes watch “Momento da Graça” every Saturday and Sunday morning.
Also, I have been doing some much needed work here at the house. I built the carport this month.
We held our first general pastors/missionaries meeting of the year this weekend, too.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: Jud & Raquel Hatcher in Brazil [January 2014]
Jud and Raquel Hatcher serve the Lord in Manaus, Brazil. They are part of the “SeedFactory” church planting initiative, which is a movement to plant churches in all 26 Brazilian capitals. Since 2006, 43 churches have been started in 5 states.
Dear friends,
The Lord has blessed us tremendously! I will be brief as I am typing on my cell phone and have limited internet access at this time.
For 5 years I prayed for my middle school class reunion for the sole purpose of sharing the Gospel with each one. This last month of December the Lord granted the desire of my heart and we’ve already met twice with 16 of my childhood friends. In all, 33 of my classmates have been contacted. The last time I saw most of them was 22 years ago. Several of my friends’ families have also come to visit us at church. Two of them have attended every Sunday with their families since we first met and are listening attentively in services. Please, pray for each one to surrender to Christ.
Our Sunday services at Ativa are packed out. The children love going to church and their parents. Please, continue to pray as we search for a new location.
Grateful,
Jud Hatcher
judsonhatcher@hotmail.com
Website | Twitter
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Missionary Update: The Hensleys in Brazil [January 2014]
The Hensleys have spent nearly 15 years serving in Brazil. They run a vocational school and orphanage in Caraguatatuba and have also established a church and mission points throughout the city.
Dear Friends and Family,
December was an excellent (AWESOME) month to be working for the Lord here in Brasil. We had the pleasure of shopping for the children in our Church to be able to give a present to each one of them for Christmas. These children are from homes with low income. So when they received their gifts it was AWESOME to see their expressions and to just see the anticipation while they were waiting to hear their name called to receive a gift. We had one child who wanted to wait till Christmas to open his gift because he had never had a gift on Christmas Day, and he wanted to experience the Christmas Day experience. This plus the message of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ just made Christmas for me.
We had the privilege of taking our Sunday School to Mt. Zion Recovery center (on a small farm near our city) and presenting our children’s Christmas Cantata and the Christmas Story. This is the center for persons with alcohol and drug abuse, ages ranging from 18 to 55. Several of them were and are suffering from lack of visits (not any from family or from friends). And for the first 6 weeks they are not allowed any visits at all. We have been working with the men there and trying to help in any way we can. We will be teaching this group some vocational skills such as masonry, electrical, and carpentry. God is opening many doors. We preach once a week there and they are allowed to frequent our church on Wednesday nights. On Wednesday nights, they sing for our people. The men at our Church had a pizza supper for them and they could not believe that Church leaders would cook and wash dishes for them. There were about 30 plus people for this supper. We all had an AWESOME time, and the pizza that Pastor Rosevaldo made was very good also.
Along with about 60 other Pastors here in the region, we have been attending classes for Chaplains. This has been sponsored by several Churches in Sao Paulo city and was approved by the State. This will allow us (our Church Pastors) to visit inside prisons and hospitals that are State regulated. Also this makes it so that we do not have to do all those months of paperwork to visit in these areas. The graduation of the Chaplains will be held at our Church, IBC. AWESOME!!!
As a mission Church we will be celebrating our first year in January. God is so good to us. For our New Years Eve service at Church, we had a delicious meal and at 12 minutes before midnight we began to pray, and prayed the old year out and the new year in. It seems like the time is going by faster and faster.
We pastors (I, Jason, and our Brasilian pastor Rosevaldo) are working on our seminary that is planned to start on March 17, 2014. This will be led by Dr. Derick Coleman of Gardenside Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky. This will be to help our Brasilian Brother Pastors. The courses will be taught on a Master’s level. Pray as we are trying to increase training and education to further the kingdom of God.
Our Church are experiencing several medical problems; Mrs. Gloria is receiving chemo, and soon will add radiation to her treatment for her cancer, Kiser is suffering with heart problems, and we will take him to a heart hospital in Sao Paulo this month, Leo has stomach problems and has undergone surgery, Jandira is still on total bed rest with circulation and infection problems, Dameon is going for hearing surgery this month, Ma Evete has problems with her knees and is doing physical therapy, and Rosevaldo with joint problems and Cesar with back problems. Barbara is on the road about 2 to 3 days per week with Gloria running after blood tests and treatments and Dr. appointments. These problems are keeping us busy and on our knees. Pray for us as we minister to these in our Church. As in many Churches, there are always needs physical and spiritual.
We are planning another baptism in January. AWESOME! It is just great to see the Church growth and watch people begin to get involved in the ministry..
It looks like January will be a very busy month! Our grandchildren will be here after the 1st and they will bring their parents with them for a visit. Edson is here on break from college, and we have a couple from Cornerstone Baptist Church that are going to spend 3 months experiencing the mission field. PJ and Jenny Thompson will be ministering alongside of us here in Caragua.
Pray for the ministry of Igreja Batista Caragua, our church, as we begin a new year of reaching Brasil for Christ. In Feb we are planning a revival and evangelism outreach with Pastor Mike Dorough from 2nd Baptist Church in Warner Robbins, Ga. And the Seminary will start in March. So as you can see there is no lack of prayer requests for us here in Brasil.
Thanks to all who have helped and are helping and will begin to help in this ministry. It is all happening because you care enough to give of your finances and your prayer support. Again, THANKS SO MUCH!!!!
The year is just starting, and if you have not scheduled your visit to a mission field, the red carpet is out for you and your Church. Come on down and see your mission dollars at work. We will turn the bed down and put a mint on the pillow in expectation of your visit.
In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com
Click here to give. | Like them on Facebook. (Their Facebook page has some videos of stuff they have written about!)
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Missionary Update: Mike & Beverly Creiglow in Brazil [January 2014]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
Dear Brethren,
The new year has started at a little slower pace. Thank the Lord for that. There is so much to be thankful for that happened in the year that just ended. It was way too busy though. This year will probably get that way soon, but for now I am grateful for a couple of days of rest.
In early December Bev and I made a quick trip to the state capital, Rio Branco. We drove in my all Brazilian made “jeep”. Its real name is Troller. The road is in pretty good shape by our standards. You wouldn’t agree, by your standards. This was the quickest we have ever made this trip. It is exactly 400 miles. On the return we made it in exactly 7 hours. We needed some parts and equipment that we can’t get here. The church was in bad need of some new microphones. Things are still very, very expensive in Brazil, so we drove another 140 miles to Bolivia to do some of our shopping. One of the wireless systems we were looking for costs $1,350.00 here in Brazil. In all, we bought 7 different mics (same brand) for $1,179.00. Some of these were regular wired mics, but still a huge savings.
Once back home we continued the preparations for our Christmas program. This is a lot of work. Fortunately my part is more construction and a little oversight. The church does most of the heavy lifting (working with over 150 people!). Crissy and Andrew are the ones that actually put this together and pull this off. This year we had 6 nights from Friday through Wednesday the 25th. The crowds were way past overflow. We only permit visitors in the main auditorium. All the members go to the third floor of our annex and watch the program on the big screen. Because of the extension I put on the stage we have to trim our seating in the auditorium back to 800. We still had over 1000. Those who cannot sit down, stand shoulder to shoulder in the aisles and along the back and sides. Some nights we even had over a thousand in the annex. Every available chair and pew from every room is either in the main building or the annex. Still hundreds stand for an hour and a half. They don’t seem to mind. We do have a few members who complain about not being able to see it “live”, as in the auditorium. One of our elders even “invited” one of these complainers to find another church. He or she won’t, of course, but I understand the frustration.
Mike Creiglow holding the title for their new church property.
Every year there is a different story line and all new songs. The birth, life, death, burial and resurrection is worked in and depicted every year. We even have one of our newborn babies in the manger and Mary’s arms. This year 3 different babies played Jesus! Before the final act and closing song one of the pastors brings a 10 minute message. This year we had 45 professions of faith. Lots of creativity, talent, hours and money go into this, but it is more than worthwhile.
During our watch night service I was able to present the title to our new property to the church. Now that was a celebration and a half, just a week after the Christmas celebration. Because of this purchase, we have some bills to get caught up on. These are mostly “in house” and hopefully will be paid off soon. We now have over 18 acres just 3 miles from our present location. Please pray that by next Christmas we will be able to get a roof over a space that will seat a few thousand.
Thanks for all of your faithful prayers and support. May God bless you greatly in this new year.
In Christ,
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher in Brazil [January 2014]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
January 1, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Happy New Year to each of you. May God bless you this year and give you a blessed year for His honor and glory.
Alta and I have had some great blessings in the final month of 2013. Our son, David, and his wife, Pennie have made these days unforgettable. David came to Urai and took Alta and I for a trip to Florida to visit with my sister, Neree and my sister, Jessie, and her husband, Joe Sills. While there we enjoyed eight days on a cruise. This was a delightful time. I was able to relive some of my Merchant Seaman days.
Returning to Brazil, we went to Manaus to David’s and Pennies’s home. Paul and Wanda, Kathy and Odali live there so we were able to visit our children and grandchildren. It was a marvelous time.
SPECIAL SERVICES AT NOVA IGREJA BATISTA
During the month of December, the NOVA IGREJA BATISTA, where David, our son is Pastor, presented a beautiful drama, THE CHRISTMAS DREAM, a story that takes place in a toy factory. The presentation is one hour and a half duration, and uses nearly two thousand persons. It tells the wonderful story of Jesus, from the angel’s announcement to Mary until the resurrection of Jesus. The presentation is breathtaking.
The drama was presented thirty-one times. 92,000 attended the drama and 8,500 persons made decisions, the majority of these were trusting Jesus as Saviour. The story of this church, originally the CHAPADA BAPTIST CHURCH, is one of the greatest works of God’s Grace that I have seen.
Organized about fifty years ago with 24 members it now has an attendance of nearly 5,000 each Sunday. The work was started in the boonies; today the area is the main part of a city of two million inhabitants. This church has also started other congregations in other cities and States. Praise the Lord for His Blessings!
The Lord willing, we will be returning to Urai on January 7. Paul will be taking us back since we are not able to safely travel alone. The TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH where Paul is pastor has done many church plants in Manaus and several of the northeast States of Brazil. This Church has made over sixty church plants. Praise the Lord!
Odali and Kathy have moved north to Manaus to begin works on the rivers and in new villages that are being developed with the development of new roads.
Once more Alta and I wish you a New Year with God’s blessings, as together we continue to go preach, baptize and plant churches.
We love you in the Lord.
John A. and Alta Hatcher
Caixa Postal 112
Urai, PR, Brazil 86280-000
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher in Brazil [December 2013]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil for 36 years. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
December 12, 2013
Dear Friends,
We thank the Lord for a great 2013. It seems to have gone by rapidly. We also thank Him for all the things He has accomplished in our life and in the ministries here in Brazil. We praise God to see His people strengthened and growing in the likeness of Christ.
Two thousand thirteen has brought about some interesting changes. As you know, for many years we have been involved in the administration and maintenance of a Christian Preschool, Elementary and High School. This school was started by my father, John Hatcher, in 1962, mainly to respond to the need of hundreds of illiterate children in our part of town. After fifty-two years, we felt led to end this phase of ministry. On Thanksgiving evening we had a great celebration of those years with the presence of hundreds of alumni and students. There were many great testimonies witnessing to God’s blessings. Our final graduation was December 3. Thousands of lives were touched throughout those years. This frees our time now to be devoted to evangelism, discipleship and church planting.
Thanksgiving Day, Wanda arrived with her mom, Willa McGary, to spend the winter months in Brazil. December 2, Wanda’s brother, Elton “Ross” McGary, age 61, went to be with the Lord after a massive stroke. We celebrate his life. He spent his life mentoring others and working with people who have special needs (a ministry called “Stone Soup” that he and his deceased wife, my sister Lynn, started many years ago).
As we write, Wanda and I are in Western Kentucky moving her mom to Brazil. We will be flying back December 19. Pray for Miss Willa as she adjusts to the heat of northern Brazil and a new way of life.
We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, happy new year. Thank you for your prayers and support.
God Bless,
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
Avenida J. Carlos Antony, 172
65063-150 Manaus
Amazonas, Brasil SA
hatcher[at]argo.com.br
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Missionary Update: Harold Bratcher on Permanent Furlough from Brazil [December 2013]
Harold Bratcher served the Lord in the Amazon Valley for 52 years from July 15, 1959 through December 29, 2012. His dear wife, Marie, faithfully served with him for 51 years until her death in February 2011. The Bratchers organized over 20 Baptist churches and many other missions in Brazil. He is now on permanent furlough in Kentucky, still in the service of the Savior.
December 10, 2013
Dear Brothers of the Blessed Lord and Sisters of the Savior:
Once again we greet you, not from the Amazon Valley of Brazil, South America, but from our permanent cold 30 degrees and cloudy Kentucky home where the sun is not shining bright right now. We thank The Lord for our new warm home in Lexington, Kentucky, in the Hamburg area, off Polo Club Blvd, close to the new Costco, which we have been in now for 11 weeks. Notice our new address below. We praise and thank The Lord from whom all blessings flow.
This Mission Sheets month began November 9 and finishes today. During this period I heard 21 sermons, or Bible studies, and had the privilege of preaching twice. Besides attending services at our home church, David Forks Baptist Church in Lexington, Bro. Mickey Hyder, pastor, we attended the 176th annual meeting of the Kentucky Baptist Convention in Paducah, Ky. Before that we had the privilege of having lunch in Owensboro, KY on Saturday the 9th of November with my sister-in-law, Jodie Bratcher, and nephew, Randy Bratcher. We then drove on to Morganfield, Ky, where on Sunday, I preached in the AM service and Asa Mark preached in the PM service, at the Northside Baptist Church. Please continue to pray for Pastor Jim Adams and his wife, Linda, as both continue to battle cancer. We have also each Saturday been able to visit and have brunch with my brother Charlie and his family in Frankfort, Ky.
Then two weeks later, on Monday the 24th, we traveled to Dearborn Heights, Michigan, with our excellent traveling companions, Bobby and Sandra Greene, to attend the 59th Annual Thanksgiving Conference. The preaching, singing, fellowship and food were all wonderful. Thank you, New Hope and Grace Church for making this a great conference. I had the privilege of being the second speaker on Tuesday morning, and spoke on the conference theme: Redeemed How I Love To Proclaim It, based on Psalm 107, the complete chapter! On Thursday, we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving, with my Brother Charles, and some 15 others of the Bratchers. On the 4th of this month, we had the privilege of receiving my granddaughter, Marcia Luciana Bratcher, from West Hartford, CT, for a quick Christmas visit. It was short but very sweet.
I hope that I have been a blessing to all of those that we have seen during this first year of my permanent furlough. I would like to thank each of you that have supported us with your prayers and love offerings during these past 55 years. If you want to continue to do so, just send it to our address here in Lexington, and it will be acknowledged and appreciated.
As I sing, “To God be the Glory,” for these glorious years, and the over 40 churches that we have started and helped during those years, and the over 4,000 Brazilians baptized, I also have to remember those two buried in Brazil. My wife of 56 years, Hattie Marie Moore Bratcher, who paid the ultimate price for these years of service, and my son, Joel Harold Bratcher, who 42 years ago, at the age of 6, drowned in the Amazon River, after a two weeks missionary trip on the Buzzard River. Because I know that I will see them and all those saved Brazilians again, I can also sing, as John Newton wrote almost 300 years ago:
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come,
Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil, A life of joy and peace.
Yours in the Service of the Savior,
1950 Falling Leaves Lane
Lexington, KY 40509
(859) 806-9827 cell
harold_bratcher[at]yahoo.com
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